Good Quality Home Amp

Gerald Reed · Post by **Gerald Reed** » 11 Jan 2021 2:34 pm

Need some ideas for an amp for a lap steel. Thanks.

Bill Groner · Post by **Bill Groner** » 11 Jan 2021 2:56 pm

I have a Fender Mustang 1 amp I bought used for $65 and I like it a lot. I also have a Roland Cube. I like that one very much too. The Cube can be powered by battery so that is a nice option. Both sound very good.

Noah Miller · Post by **Noah Miller** » 11 Jan 2021 3:07 pm

What's your budget and what kind of sound are you going for?

Jesse Valdez · Post by **Jesse Valdez** » 11 Jan 2021 4:10 pm

Thereâ€™s a lot to factor in. If you like tube amps, a Silverface Champ or other Lap Steel amp, such as a Magnatone, are great options. If you are going with something newer, Iâ€™d suggest the Yamaha THRII series, it has more than youâ€™ll ever need but the cleans are surprising, Alan Akka I know did use the THRI often.

Allan Revich · Post by **Allan Revich** » 11 Jan 2021 11:22 pm

Fender Princeton Reverb with a 12â€ speaker. I own one and I love it.

James Kerr · Post by **James Kerr** » 12 Jan 2021 4:59 am

Here is my choice which you can actually listen to a "Vox Valvetronic VT30". My playing is very simple.
I paid $50 second hand locally.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWVll5SxZ7M

James Kerr.

Nic Neufeld · Post by **Nic Neufeld** » 12 Jan 2021 5:13 am

For home playing, a Yamaha THR amp is my favorite. I used to use a little 5W tube Bugera...I liked it well enough but the Yamaha outclasses it and has better features. As Jesse mentioned, Alan Akaka uses one and has even used it, mic'ed, on stage. Mine is the newer model with bluetooth...I've loaded a ton of backing tracks on my phone, can connect them up and play along to songs if I want to practice.

Ben Birdsall · Post by **Ben Birdsall** » 12 Jan 2021 1:56 pm

I'm a fan of the small, vintage tube amps. I use a Supro Super 5w and a Gibson Falcon 12w, and love the sound of both. They're not as cheap as a new, solid state small amp, but they're cheaper than Fenders of the same vintage, and sound so good.

Stephen Cowell · Post by **Stephen Cowell** » 14 Jan 2021 2:09 pm

I love and collect small tube amps... but I mostly play through a Roland Mobile Cube. It draws little current, I just leave it on 24/7 and turn up the volume when I want to play. It has stereo reverb, puts out about 5watts, and is a favorite of famous Hawaiian steeler Bobby Ingano.

Here's a five-year-old thread where I got to say the same thing. Kevin Brown is a confirmed user too.

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... cc140c0538

Here's a Sweetwater link (love the candy!) where they're selling an acoustic version for only 129$... this is a steal, I think. You can run on a power supply... don't use the 1A, get the OneSpot 2A supply... and it fits on a mic stand or a camera tripod threads. Or... 6 AA cells powers it for hours.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... -combo-amp

Paul Seager · Post by **Paul Seager** » 15 Jan 2021 6:59 am

I also advocate the Yamaha but with a caveat! I tried the THR10 and the wow factor was huge as it can handle a bass as well. But the many features it offers I already owned in other forms so I bought the THR5 instead.
This has far less features, not such a great tone but it is small and light enough that I can put it in my shoulder bag ( with my music folder) and cycle to little jams or rehearsals at friends houses.

If I was to buy for exclusive home use for just steel it would be the 10 model. FWIW my home amp is a Phil Jones Double4 (with a Boss MS3). It works nicely for steel but it is primarily a bass amp.

\paul